Hyalite’s Grotto Falls Trail Added to the Old-Growth Forest Network’s Community Forest Program
Hyalite’s Grotto Falls Trail gets Nationally Recognized for its Beauty and Biodiversity
The Grotto Falls Trail in the Custer-Gallatin National Forest’s Hyalite Canyon is being nationally recognized for its beauty and biodiversity by being formally inducted into the Old-Growth Forest Network’s Community Forest Program. Community Forests are closely tied to the fabric of a community and serve as ambassadors to wilder, more remote old growth forests.
The Grotto Falls Trail is the second location in the state of Montana to be recognized as a Community Forest in the Old-Growth Forest Network and the fifth forest to be recognized in Montana for its old-growth values. It will join nearly 350 forests nationwide recognized by the Old-Growth Forest Network (OGFN). The Network’s goal is to identify and ensure the preservation and recognition of at least one old forest in every forested county in the United States, creating a roadmap of family-friendly hikes that showcase the beauty, complexity and diversity of our nation’s oldest forests. A full list and map of OGFN forests may be viewed at www.oldgrowthforest.net.
Ashley Martens, the OGFN Intermountain West Regional Manager, stated that: “The Old-Growth Forest Network is proud to bring a beloved old-growth subalpine forest near Bozeman into the Network’s Community Forest Program. The forest surrounding the Grotto Falls Trail and the trails leading up to Hyalite Lake are not only beautiful for their cascading waterfalls, but also for the towering spruce and firs, large snags and mossy logs, and the structural and functional complexity only found in old forests.”
The Hyalite Canyon watershed is also an important water source for the city of Bozeman - approximately 80% of Bozeman’s municipal water supply comes from Hyalite Canyon and the adjacent Bozeman Creek watershed. Martens noted that: “We celebrate not only the inspiration and intrinsic value of this place, but also the people responsible for its careful stewardship like the U.S. Forest Service and Friends of Hyalite.”
Friends of Hyalite is an all-volunteer, local organization that partners with the Forest Service to provide year-round access to the Hyalite Canyon and stewardship of this very special place. Bob Detrick, President of Friends of Hyalite, noted that “Hyalite is the most heavily visited recreation area in Montana’s national forests. It provides a stunning natural landscape famed for its 10,000-foot peaks and premier outdoor recreation opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, birding, fishing, snowshoeing, skiing, and ice climbing. Yet it remains a wild place. Depending on elevation and season, Hyalite is home to a variety of native species including elk, moose, deer, mountain goats, bighorn, bears, pikas, weasels, martens, fish and forest birds.”
Community members and media are invited to attend a brief celebration of the induction of the Grotto Falls Trail into the Old-Growth Forest Network’s Community Forest Program on Tuesday, June 23rd. The celebration from 4:00-5:00 pm is open to everyone and will include remarks by Friends of Hyalite, the U.S. Forest Service and Old-Growth Forest Network staff. A guided nature hike along the Grotto Falls Trail is scheduled for 5:00-7:30 pm and requires pre-registration. Parking and restrooms are available at the trailhead located at the end of the East Hyalite Creek Road, but there is no potable water.
For more information, contact: Friends of Hyalite: Bob Detrick, Board President; info@hyalite.org or Old-Growth Forest Network: Ashley Martens, Regional Manager, 208-883-4998; ashley@oldgrowthforest.net